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The Independent UK

Justin Baragona

Kari Lake makes it official: Hundreds of Voice of America employees given pink slips

Kari Lake Voice of America VoA Ice USAGM Donald Trump Patsy Widakuswara America United States Democracy

Kari Lake announced on Friday that 639 employees from Voice of America and its parent agency would be terminated effective September 1. - (Getty Images)

In its latest attack on Voice of America, the Trump administration sent out layoff notices to hundreds of the government-funded news network’s employees, making official what had long been expected after all contractors were fired last month.

This latest move, which eliminates 639 full-time staffers from VOA and the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the network’s parent bureau, comes just days after USAGM Senior Adviser Kari Lake called back dozens of employees for the network’s Persian-language service amid Israel’s conflict with Iran.

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